Many Happy Birthdays!

The February Paper Pumpkin Kit is here! Hooray! I'm really excited to put this super cute birthday card/gift card holder combination together.

The color palette is bright and cheery - perfect for spring and summertime birthdays! This color palette will appeal to all ages too.

The stamp set is fantastic on its own.  Here is an alternative card idea from the Paper Pumpkin Blog using the geometric stamps to create a background. I love the copper embossing too!

Don't forget that Paper Pumpkin Party is this Saturday - February 25th from 1-4pm. I hope you will join me to put together our kits, create additional alternative projects, and snack on pumpkin baked goodies.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Bokeh Birthday Card

I'm so enchanted by the Falling in Love Designer Series Paper, especially the pieces with the Bokeh effect (2nd and 4th from the right are my favs)!

Bokeh is a photography effect that captures out of focus points of light. The lights look blurred and softened. It looks so sweet! Even romantic! Love it!

For this month's Technique Tuesday, we recreated the Bokeh effect. Here is one of the cards I created using the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set and Thinlit Bundle.

For the background, I used Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, and Rose Red. I have been trying to vary my color palettes and use colors that I have not used recently. This color palette reminds me of growing up in the eighties/nineties. I loved pink, purple, and blue together.

On the inside of the card, I stamped the confetti image in Pool Party and the sentiment in Wisteria Wonder.

Here are some cards that the ladies made in my class. They did a fabulous job! I really like that everyone's cards are different. Gorgeous!

Want to know what the next Technique Tuesday has in store? Contact me today to sign up!

Missed this month's class and want to learn the Bokeh technique? Contact me today to schedule a private class.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Moroccan Nights Birthday Card

I'm sure you have noticed how much I like embossing! Whether it is dry embossing with embossing folders, heat embossing with the heat tool, or creating an embossing resist, I love it all! This birthday card is no different.

The Moroccan Nights stamp set is perfect for embossing. I love the detail in the mosaic image, which is also gorgeous in copper!

Here I used dry and heat embossing. First, I stamped the mosaic image randomly on a piece of Whisper White cardstock with Versamark ink. Then I heat embossed with clear embossing powder. You could also use white embossing powder.

Next I sponged Night of Navy and Rich Razzleberry ink randomly across the cardstock. I wiped the embossed areas to remove any excess ink.

Across the center, I layered a piece of Night of Navy card stock with a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock embossed with the Elegant Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF).

In the middle, I placed a decorative label with the birthday sentiment.

To add extra embellishment, I added gold enamel shapes to the center of each mosaic image.

Have you tried embossing? I would love to see what you make!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Moroccan Nights Birthday Card Project Supply List
Stamps	#141718 Moroccan Nights (Clear-Mount) #141715 Moroccan Nights (Wood-Mount) #142034 Confetti Celebration (Clear-Mount) #141510 Confetti Celebration (Wood-Mount)
Paper	#100730 Whisper White #115316 Rich Razzleberry #100867 Night of Navy
Ink	#126950 Rich Razzleberry #126970 Night of Navy #102283 Versamark
Embellishments	#141678 Metallic Enamel Shapes #109130 Clear Embossing Powder
Tools	#120907 Decorative Label Punch #129053 Heat Tool #103083 Embossing Buddy #138287 Elegant Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF)

Floral Boutique Birthday Wishes

Today's card features a fun fold called Double Dutch. This card opens like a Dutch door but with two bottom doors instead of one. So cute!

The Floral Boutique Designer Series Paper (DSP) is definitely the focus here! This is my Mom's favorite DSP. Floral Boutique DSP reminds me of a floral quilt she made a few years ago with the same navy and white color palette. It has such a sweet pattern!

Floral Boutique DSP is also part of the Designer Series Paper Sale! What a great time to give this fun fold a try!

The Double Dutch Fold was quick and easy to put together. Below are the measurements for each of the pieces. Cut each of the pieces before you assemble the base of the card.

Floral Boutique Birthday Card Measurements
	Color	Dimensions
Card Base	Night of Navy	4-3/16” x 9-1/4”; scored at 5-1/2”
Double Doors	Night of Navy	2” x 8-1/2”; scored at 2-1/8” & 6-3/8”
Front Top DSP Rectangle	Floral Boutique DSP	2-15/16” x 3-15/16”
Front Bottom DSP Squares (2)	Floral Boutique DSP	2” x 2”
Sentiment Circle	Whisper White	1-1/2” Circle
Sentiment Circle Mat	Night of Navy	1-3/4” Scalloped Circle
Inside Layer	Whisper White	5-1/4” x 4”

After your pieces are cut, it's time to create the detailed edge on the bottom of the top fold. I wanted a scalloped edge but didn't have a punch or an edgelit die. I created one by using the circular motif strip from the Flourish Thinlits. By partially die-cutting the circular motif strip, I created a decorative edge that was still attached to the card base. Talk about double duty for your thinlits!

Partially die-cutting is not as difficult as it sounds. Place the card base on the Big Shot Precision Base Plate with the top flap up. Place the entire circular motif die just above the edge of the top flap of the card base. Secure the die and card base with washi tape.

Position the clear plate halfway on the circular motif die. Slowly crank the platform through the Big Shot twice, keeping the clear plate partially on the circular motif die. Take your time.

How pretty does this decorative edge look!? I think it gives a delicate detail that is certainly a wow factor.

Next take the 2" by 8-1/2" piece of Night of Navy cardstock, center it with the bottom of your card base and adhere it.

Add the DSP rectangle and squares to the front of the card. Tie a bow with the Whisper White Thick Baker's Twine.

Stamp the dear friend sentiment onto Whisper White cardstock. Punch out with a 1-1/2" circle. Die cut a 1-3/4" scalloped circle from Night of Navy cardstock. Adhere the sentiment circle to the scalloped circle. Add dimensionals to the back and adhere to the lower right square on the card front.

Stamp the happiest of birthday wishes sentiment and the small flowers on the inside layer and attach to the inside of the card.

Have you tried the Double Dutch Fun Fold? I would love to see how you would recreate this card!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Floral Boutique Birthday Card Project Supply List
Stamps	#140658 Birthday Blooms Clear-Mount #140655 Birthday Blooms Wood-Mount
Paper	#100867 Night of Night CS #100730 Whisper White CS #141663 Floral Boutique DSP
Ink	#126970 Night of Navy
Embellishments	#141688 Whisper White Thick Baker's Twine #104430 Stampin’ Dimensionals
Tools	#138299 1-1/2" Circle Punch #141705 Layering Circles Framelits #141478 Flourish Thinlits  #143263 Big Shot Machine #139684 Precision Base Plate